High And Dry
by demilylove
Summary: Takes place after the last FF of Something Nice Back Home. FINAL CHAPTER IS UP.
1. Chapter 1

He ran his hands over the door, his fingertips grazing the lines of the wood

**Author's note: **I'm a slow writer and I apologize for that. Usually I get major block after 1 or 2 chapters and then abandon the whole thing. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this one.

**Summary: **takes place after the last FF of Something Nice Back Home.

**Disclaimer: **not mine, none of them.

**High And Dry**

_All your insides fall to pieces, you just sit there wishing you could still make love_

He ran his hands over the door, his fingertips grazing the lines of the wood. He sighed heavily and pressed his forehead against the frame, swallowing hard, his eyes shut. The world didn't seem to stop spinning and he'd bet anything it wasn't because of the alcohol or the pain killers. It was because of her. Because of him. Because of those painful things he said to her. Because of her tears, that look. Because he knew this very well could be the end.

_It's the best thing that you've ever had; the best thing you've had has gone away_

He never left her porch.

He wasn't dumb enough to drive at his state, and he really couldn't bear to stay away.

So he stayed there for nearly 2 hours, plummeting from his high, although really – nothing in the way he felt was high.

He didn't want to end up like his father, alone, away from his family, dead.

He didn't want to go down that road he was slowly but surely driving.

All he ever really wanted was her. And now, he finally got her, was he really going to let her go this easily?

He took a deep breath followed by a heavy sigh.

And knocked.


	2. Chapter 2

Author: Shiran, formerly Jater on FanFiction

**Author: **Shiran, formerly **Jater** on

**Author's note: **the quotes in this chapter were taken from _Starsailor_'s beautiful _Tie Up My Hands_.

**Summary: **takes place after the last FF of Something Nice Back Home.

**Disclaimer: **not mine, none of them.

She looked at her finger, twirling the ring and biting her lower lip. Before the crash, when she actually wore jewelries, whenever she was nervous she'd twirl either the ring around her finger or the pendant on her necklace.

She wasn't nervous now. She was terrified. Petrified that this could very well be the end.

_Tie__ your hair and gently fall from grace until I come again_

He was like air for her, she needed him to survive. And while on the island she never liked showing neediness and always liked to take care of herself, off the island was a whole other story.

She swallowed, wiping her eyes as her head leaned back against the door. She could hear his sighs, almost feel the heat of his body, smell his breath.

_I wanna love you but my hands are tied; I wanna stay here but I've been denied_

She didn't want him to leave, but couldn't have him staying.

2 hours later, when he finally worked up the courage to knock, she let out the breath she's been holding since he left. She rose slowly from the floor, and turned to the door, her palm instinctively flattening against the wood. She took a shaky breath and let out a heavy sigh.

And turned the knob.


	3. Chapter 3

Author: Shiran

**Author: **Shiran

**Author's note: **I wrote this in like, half an hour just 'cause once I started I couldn't let it go. It didn't necessarily turn out the best, but I did start writing this for 2 lines only. So hopefully you'll enjoy the last part, and please comment.

**Disclaimer: **not mine, none of them.

She found his brown eyes staring at her, just like she expected. He looked even more terrible than he did when he left, but still… he looked like old Jack again. She had to remind herself she was mad at him, because otherwise, she would've reached out and touched his cheek. Then his lips, then his neck. And would've pulled him back to their house.

"Why didn't you use your keys?" she simply said.

"I assumed you wouldn't want me to." He answered and she gave a short nod in respond. "I just wanted to say… I, uh… can I come in?"

She didn't answer, her expression didn't change. She simply moved to the left to clear the passage for him.

He looked uncomfortably at her and then lowered his sight, licking his lips, before entering – what was only 2 hours ago – his house, also.

"I swear I won't bother you even more than I already did. I'll just say what I had to say and leave." He started.

"OK." She answered, her voice hoarse.

"I'm sorry." He simply said, "I don't know what's wrong with me. I-I've been, I've been seeing my father lately."

Her brows suddenly creased in worry, his confession taking her by surprise. This encouraged him, he realized despite all the things he'd said, she still cared for him.

"What do you mean…?" she started, stuttering.

"I've been having visions of him." He cuts her off, "I've been seeing him around the hospital, and last night… last night he called my name. This man has been dead for nearly 3 years, and I see him walking around and talking to me."

"I'm sure there's…" she tried but he cut her off yet again.

"There isn't. There can't possibly be an explanation for this. I started thinking I was going crazy. I thought maybe it's related to the island, but I couldn't explain how. And Hurley… well, I guess I didn't want to end up like Hurley. I, uh… I started to drink. And take pain killers. I wanted to numb this feeling, Kate. I wanted to get back in control, I wanted to stop feeling so confused." He confessed.

"But you started losing control, Jack." She said softly.

"I know. And I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry, Kate." He sighed, "I never, for once second believed I should worry about Sawyer in your life. I trust you completely. I'm here, and he's there, and I'm aware of that."

This brought tears to her eyes.

"That's not enough, Jack." She said tearfully. "I feel like I can't trust you anymore. You fell into this… destructive behavior so quickly, who says it won't happen again? I thought you were happy, Jack. You seemed happy."

"I was!" he whispered passionately.

"No." she shook her head vibrantly. "If you were really happy, you wouldn't have turned so easily. You were never too keen of having Aaron in your life, but he's a part of mine. And maybe… maybe you thought like you could never truly be happy about us."

"My sister is dead, Kate. I have a sister, I never even knew about until after she was dead. And now… looking at his face, I can't stop seeing her face, and I can't stop thinking about how I couldn't do anything to save her." He said agonized.

"But that's the problem, Jack." She shook her head. "You keep looking for things to fix. And then when you can't, you ruin yourself with guilt! I can't… I can't pick up the pieces, Jack. Everything is not perfect, and it never will be. And I can't be the only one realizing that."

He shook his head fervently, biting his lower lip as he felt the tears well up in his eyes again. He wasn't ready for this to end.

"If I had known, this morning before I left to work, would be the last time I kissed you – I'd never have left the house." He whispered painfully.

Her face creased in pain and a sob escaped her mouth. She couldn't really believe this very well could be the end.

He broke the distance for the first time and reached for her face, stroking it. It physically hurt to be away from her, and it pained him to see her like this.

"Don't." she gasped, stepping away from his touch. "Don't make me need you even more, or I won't be able to move on."

"I don't want you to move on." He said tearfully. "I don't think we were meant to move on."

She shook her head, wiping her eyes.

"Don't." he simply said and she looked up at him. "Don't just close the door on us. Don't give up on us. Not after everything we've been through."

There was a long, tense silence. She contemplated things and he was eagerly waiting for her to answer.

"Things will have to change, Jack." She said shaking her head.

"They will." He answered determined.

She sighed and sat on the couch, burying her face in her hands. He immediately kneeled in front of her, softly holding her hips.

"Hey." He whispered hoarsely, taking the hands from her face. "I love you. And I know you still love me. Our feelings can't go anywhere, we're too strong for that."

"We are?" she asked, wanting to believe everything he told her. He laughed, for the first time in what was too long for her.

"After all, you're the only person I'd want to be a on a deserted island with." He whispered.

She smiled for the first time since their fight and he leaned in and kissed her cheek gently, his lips lingering. She ran her hands through his cropped hair and pulled him into a deep kiss. She smiled content against it, thinking she couldn't even smell the whisky off his breath now, and hoped thing will change from now on. She really needed that. She needed him.

_**Gosh darn it, I don't know why I can never end a fic that isn't on the fluffy side LOL hopefully, you still found this enjoyable. Don't forget to let me know! **_


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